Massive underground water lake discovered on planet Mars

A photograph obtained from the European Space Agency shows an artist's impression of Mars Express over a background based on an actual image of the Red Planet taken by the spacecraft. [AFP]

A massive underground lake has been detected for the first time on Mars, raising hopes that more water – and maybe even life– exists there, international astronomers said Wednesday.

Located under a layer of Martian ice, the lake is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide, said the report in the US journal Science.